Hello from Wisconsin!

[NorthernFirepower]

Good afternoon all!

 

New to the forum and a huge fan of the '50s Buicks. Been looking for a '55 Century 4door hardtop for over a decade and have found a few and kick myself for not buying one or two of them.

 

Stumbled across a younger sister, '56 Buick Super 4dr hardtop and couldn't help myself. Car has it's share of issues with age and neglect but she's a bomber! Runs well, tracks down the road fine, even stops!

 

I'm addressing what's needed to keep as many fluids inside currently, water pump and driver front wheel cylinder.

 

Looking forward to picking some brains for advise and hopefully sharing some good times.

[58L-Y8]

Welcome!  Glad you found a '56 Buick Super four door hardtop that fits the bill and you're getting into old car ownership and enjoyment.   The model years 1955 and 1956 were when Buick was at its most popular in the 1950's, offered great cars with memorable styling.  The B-pillarless four door hardtop has been gone from the current market for so long younger generations will be amazed by your Super when they see it with all the windows open and realize its a four door...and no B-pillar above the window sill.  

 

To help you find other Buick enthusiasts and the well-spring of knowledge available here, here are the Buick forums which are a great resource:

BUICK - Antique Automobile Club of America - Discussion Forums (aaca.org)

Note there is one for postwar which will specifically deal with any and all issue you have with your Super.   Good luck with your car and share your pictures and experiences with other folks here, we all like to hear about them.

 

Steve

[NorthernFirepower]

Thanks much Steve! Looking forward to digging to all the great information already existing by the community.

[Hudsy Wudsy]

Handsome cars for sure:

 

[keiser31]

Welcome to the forum! VERY cool cars, indeed.

Edited August 3, 2021 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

Hello and welcome from your Southern neighbor

[Billy Kingsley]

Welcome! Post a picture of your Buick, we'd all love to see it I'm sure.

[Graham Man]

Look like this....

 

[NorthernFirepower]

14 hours ago, Billy Kingsley said:

Welcome! Post a picture of your Buick, we'd all love to see it I'm sure.

Nothing to write home about but here she is...

[Studeous]

I think she is lovely.

[Marty Roth]

Hello, and welcome to our FORUM.

Hopefully you'll also become a member of the Buick Club of America

http://www.buickclub.org/

and become a regular contributor to the many Buick-specific threads, found further down in the Buick section.

The 1956 is among my favorites - especially if I could ever find (and afford) a red and white1956 Buick Roadmaster convertible !

 

Marty

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 8/3/2021 at 1:36 PM, NorthernFirepower said:

Been looking for a '55 Century 4door hardtop for over a decade...

 

I agree that your car looks nice, Mr. Firepower.  The lines

are beautiful, and the coloration has that distinctive '50's flair.

 

Even seasoned collectors often don't realize how scarce

4-door hardtops--in almost any year and almost any make--

have become.  Collectors tend to restore what they consider

the "flashy" or "desirable" models, the convertibles and the

2-door hardtops.  Meanwhile, many cars get overlooked and

gradually disappear from the scene.  

 

So keep your '56 Buick for many years, enjoying it now and

bettering it if you see fit.  I have a '57 Century 4-door hardtop

myself, which I got years ago as my first antique car:

 

 

[Billy Kingsley]

Very nice! Unusual placement of the side view mirrors.

[pmhowe]

I think both the '56 and the '57 models are very handsome cars. But one is described as a Century and one is described as a Super. I naively thought all the four-holers were Roadmasters. Not so? Also, do these have the straight eight, or had they switched to V-8s?

Thanks,

Phil

[John_S_in_Penna]

When Buick's portholes came out, having 4 holes

on each side was the sign of the Roadmaster,

while other models had 3.  Gradually, porthole

"inflation" set in.  I don't know the specific years,

but in the case of my 1957, only the Special had

3 holes;  the Century, Super, and Roadmaster all

had 4.

[Marty Roth]

11 hours ago, NorthernFirepower said:

Nothing to write home about but here she is...

 

That is probably my favorite color combination for 1956,

(other than red and white if on a convertible)

Salmon, Coral, Pink - so many hues, and so many varied names - I forgot what Buick called it that year !

 

[NorthernFirepower]

Well boys, just came inside after replacing the Front LH wheel cylinder and a reman Water Pump from Wade @Flying Dutchman. Thought I could use the previous lower rad hose only to find two frayed points along the mold line. Damn

 

Excited to pick the one I passed up Friday and fill her with coolant to see where else it leaks.

 

Oh...had this 8lbs of fattyness smokin all day while wrenching too

[NorthernFirepower]

On 8/5/2021 at 8:00 PM, pmhowe said:

I think both the '56 and the '57 models are very handsome cars. But one is described as a Century and one is described as a Super. I naively thought all the four-holers were Roadmasters. Not so? Also, do these have the straight eight, or had they switched to V-8s?

Thanks,

Phil

The straight eights went way of the buffalo in 1954 I believe. That year Buick focused on the V8 nailhead and I believe was the debut year for the 264 and 322 depending on grade of car chosen. I've focused my knowledge on the '55s for many years and picked up on ancillary years by association.